Vikings name Gus Frerotte the starter

Punchless Vikings ditch Jackson, turn to Frerotte as starter
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Updated: September 17, 2008, 2:43 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings, with an 0-2 start to the season, are turning to veteran Gus Frerotte to bring them out of the hole.

No coach had more faith in his quarterback than coach Brad Childress had in Tarvaris Jackson, who has made 14 career starts. But Childress named Frerotte the starter for the remainder of the season, announcing the decision at his Wednesday media availability.

"I'm just not seeing right now the aggressiveness from Tarvaris that I saw throughout the offseason, training camp, the two preseason games that he played in," Childress said. "And part of it may be experience. I know Gus will give us that. And I know his approach will also lend itself to that."

Jackson was 8-4 as a starter last season, even though he completed only 58.2 percent of his passes and had a 70.8 quarterback rating.

This season started even slower for Jackson. He completed only 30 of 59 passes for 308 yards in two games, in an offense that is ranked 24th in the league in passing despite a strong running game from Adrian Peterson.

Jackson has been playing with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee, an injury that forced him at times to wear a brace. Vikings fans booed him throughout Sunday's 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts when the Vikings, despite a 160-yard rushing day by Peterson, had to settle for five field goals.

After that loss, Childress said Jackson "is definitely our quarterback this week."

But that stance started to soften on Monday, when he said coaches were "chewing on a bunch of things right now and making sure that he's the best guy for us to go forward."

With a tough home game coming up against the Carolina Panthers, Childress decided to go with the strong-armed Frerotte. The 37-year-old Frerotte is in his 15th season, and spent the past two seasons as a backup in St. Louis.

"I was very surprised," receiver Bobby Wade said. "I didn't anticipate that. Obviously it's the coach's decision and the administration's decision and we have to run with that."

Frerotte has been with seven teams, but this is his second tour with the Vikings, having spent 2003 and 2004 in Minnesota.

Frerotte has completed 54.2 percent of his passes during his career for 19,134 yards and a 74.3 quarterback rating. He's 37-44-1 as a starter.

Childress said that barring injury, Frerotte will be the quarterback for the rest of the season. However, Childress added he hasn't given up on the 25-year-old Jackson as an option for the team's long term.

"While I know he doesn't like it, I'd worry about him if he did like it," Childress said. "I know he'll make the most of it."

Naming Frerotte the starter for the rest of the season is certainly stunning to me.

My guess is that Tavaris Jackson will back at the starting position before the seasons over.

Holy crap there goes Minnesota's season unless they reverse this decision. Man I can't believe how somebody as terrible as Frerotte could be your starter.

OMG!!!

Shocking,but Tavaris is as useful as the Tardis on a football field!:D

Yay! Now we can trade for Tavarias! Everyone on here has been clamoring for a mobile QB and here he is waiting for us!

Jackson has not been great by any means but I don't see where this is an improvement. Going from Farve wanting to play for you to having Frerotte named your as starter.
Sort of like getting a date with Jessica Simpson only to have Joan Rivers show up, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RAM-BO

Yay! Now we can trade for Tavarias! Everyone on here has been clamoring for a mobile QB and here he is waiting for us!

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Cynicism does not suit you. Well, on second thought....:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by makersncoke

Jackson has not been great by any means but I don't see where this is an improvement. Going from Farve wanting to play for you to having Frerotte named your as starter.
Sort of like getting a date with Jessica Simpson only to have Joan Rivers show up, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Wait, I can't feel my face! Am I smiling? AM I SMILING?:D

I think you guys are giving Jackson way too much credit. Frerotte isn't anything glamorous but he's very Brad Johnson/Trent Dilfer-esque and that's all Minnesota needs right now. Peterson/Taylor scare the bejesus out of every team in the league and having an NFL caliber QB in there to even suggest the hint of a passing game is going to make Minnesota very dangerous. With Carolina coming in, at Tennessee and at Chicago before they get to the bye, they can't survive with Jackson back there completing 51% of his passes. I think this is a great move by Childress and maybe done in time to save their season. 0-2 is bad enough but they're staring 0-3 in the face with a rejuvenated Panther team, now with Steve Smith, coming to town.